The Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria who made the call while addressing the 41st Council of Lay Presidents in Abuja, also kicked against the incessant calls for self defense by some Nigerians noting that this would make the nation ungovernable.

Rather, His Eminence Aba called on the Federal Government to take drastic action against sponsors of insecurity and economic saboteurs in the country.

He bemoaned the development where a non state actor abducted and murdered a retired General of the Nigerian Army “without being facing the music.”

He recalled how former President Olusegun Obasanjo dealt with excesses of non-state actor in Zakin-Biam in Benue State and Odi in Rivers State.
his Eminence Ali Aba said the recent kidnapping of school children and teachers in Oyo state posed a great danger to educational development in the country.

According to him, “We are witnesses to the hard effects of the economy and what insecurity has sadly turned our nation into. To many of us, one of the latest developments on insecurity as seen in the kidnapping of school children and their teachers in Oyo and Borno States of Nigeria are a far cry from our desires.

“At a time like this, the Church would continue to play her part in praying to God to halt further bloodshed across the land and bring economic relief to the people of Nigeria”.

The Methodist Prelate argued that the current security situation also contributed to the economic hardship and increased level of poverty in the country.

He stressed the need for the three tiers of government to listen to the cries of the citizens and come up with effective solutions to the challenges.
Prelate Aba said the cry of God’s people under the crushing effects of our economy is equally hurting noting that ”That is why we call on the three tiers of government in Nigeria to listen to our cries the same way Moses heard that of Israel when approaching the red sea and presented it to God for an outright solution”.

In his remark, the Conference Lay President, Sir (Ide) Ifeanyichukwu Okechukwu said the annual meeting brings together Lay Presidents from all the over 120 Dioceses of the Premier Church in Nigeria.

He said the meeting is aimed at strengthening evangelism and Church administration in all the Methodist Dioceses across the country.

Sir Ifeanyi Okechukwu reassured the gathering that the conference would not relent in bringing about spiritual growth to complement the social responsibility of the church to the society.
According to him, the conference will come up with strategies to ensure rapid growth of the dioceses and Church planting in the rural areas.

The Archdiocesan Lay President of Abuja Archdiocese, Sir AVM John Kayode Beckley KJW, PhD, had earlier welcomed all the Lay Presidents to Abuja and wished them a blessed and peaceful stay in the center of Unity.